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Marouane Chamakh agrees to six-month loan deal at Crystal Palace

Marouane Chamakh has been given the chance to revive his ­Premier League career. The Gunners striker has joined newly-promoted Premier League side Crystal Palace on a six-month deal, according to reports in Mirror.

The report further stated that if he makes an impact under Palace manager Ian Holloway, then the move could be extended until the end of the ­season and made ­permanent if they avoid relegation.

His contract with Arsenal expires at the end of the coming season, and he may have kicked his last ball in an Arsenal shirt. It doesn’t appear likely the London side will extend his current deal past next summer.

Chamakh hasn’t been a good fit at Arsenal since moving to the club. The 29-year-old scored only 14 times in 67 ­appearances before ­going out on loan to West Ham for the second half of last season. He joined Arsenal on a free transfer from French side Bordeaux in 2010.

Last season, the 29-year old was loaned out to fellow Premier League side West Ham United. He made only three appearances for the Hammers, as manager Sam Allardyce considered him only good enough for bench duty.

Many fans would regard him as an Arsenal flop but he was never meant to deliver considering the difference in style of play between Arsenal and Bordeaux. While at Bordeaux, Chamakh benefited from having a lot of service from out wide. The Gunners don’t play a style similar to that, and Chamakh has suffered as a result. He’s not effective as a forward when he has to put the ball on the floor and rely on quick buildup play through the midfield.

Looking back on the last couple of years, Chamakh has been just one of many players who’ve failed to deliver on their promise. For whatever reason, the club kept hanging on to those players, hoping they would come good eventually.For the most part, it’s never happened for those players, and they’ve been eating up the wage budget.

Finally, it seems Arsene Wenger is ready to part with the dead wood. First came the releases of Andrey Arshavin, Denilson and Sebastien Squillaci. Then came news that Nicklas Bendtner might be on the way out and now with Chamakh leaving it seems Arsenal fans will final get their wish of seeing substandard players with large paychecks leaving.

The above mentioned players probably are good enough to keep the club in the top four, that’s not going to be enough for much longer. If the Gunners truly want to mount a title charge, they need to start moving out the weak players and bringing in better ones.

Clearing the deadwood will not do any good if Arsenal don’t bring any reinforcements. What do you say Gooners?